[CW] Position on CW testing and sub-bands

[Ken Brown]

Hi all,

There have been a lot of good suggestions for "fine tuning" or modifying 
my first draft outline of a proposal to ARRL and/or FCC for changes in 
the HF licensing structure. Here are a few observations and comments 
about those suggestions:

1) Some have insisted that the morse testing requirement FOR ANY AND ALL 
HF ACCESS be maintained. In principal I agree that this would be best. 
However I believe if we maintain this as our position we will be 
constantly defending against the lobby that has already been successful  
in reducing the code test to 5 wpm, and getting the international 
requirement removed altogether. If some HF access is allowed without a 
morse test, our chances of preserving a portion of the HF/MW bands, for 
CW only, will be better. The argument that disabled people are being 
discriminated against will no doubt be used. This argument  has resulted 
in wheelchair ramps on public buildings and sidewalks. This is a good 
thing. So far we have not seen the John Muir Trail paved, and I don't 
think that is ADA's goal. If people who either cannot or will not learn 
morse code are allowed access to some of the HF/MF spectrum, and all of 
the modes of operation (including CW) allowed on HF/MF, then there will 
be no justification to remove the morse requirement for access to the 
remainder of the HF/MF spectrum that is set aside for CW only.

2) One respondent said that a good justification needs to be made for CW 
only sub-bands. This is especially true since CW is the only mode 
presently allowed everywhere in the ham bands, excluding 60 meters 
(which isn't really a band anyway) . My reason for wanting the CW only 
sub-bands is that if thousands of operators who are unaware of CW, or 
who are aware and have anti CW attitudes, have access to the entire 
HF/MF spectrum, CW operation will be degraded seriously. This would be a 
tragic loss, both to existing CW operators and to potential new CW 
operators. This explanation needs to be worked on. My wording is not 
nearly eloquent enough here. The concept of incompatibility of CW and 
"automated digital modes" needs to be explained better than I have done 
so far. The value of CW due to it's technological simplicity and its 
superiority in getting through when nothing else will, has been gone 
over and over so many times already, that even those of us who 
understand this are bored with the discussion. I won't go over it again 
right now, however this argument will have to be made in the proposal.

3) Increase in the CW test speed to a level that is not so 
excruciatingly painful as 5 wpm seems to be unlikely, according to all 
who commented on this subject. Most have said that the government will 
never, ever turn back on this one. This may be true. Perhaps the 
reasoning that the "average speed" of morse tests needed for HF/MF 
access could be maintained at 5 wpm if two thirds of the license classes 
were zero wpm, and the other third was 15 wpm. I'm sort of joking here, 
but who knows it might fly. Even if we are stuck with 5 wpm for the 
Extra Class test, I still think it will be beneficial to amateur radio 
to have CW only sub-bands.

4) Some have stated that CW operation will survive only on it's own 
merits, and not by regulations. Some have said that having CW only 
sub-bands will segregate CW operations from other modes and be 
counterproductive to keeping the CW flame burning. I agree that CW will 
only continue to live as long as new operators are exposed to it and can 
experience the joy that we CW ops find in CW. For this reason I think it 
is important that CW continue to be allowed everywhere in the amateur 
bands, and that all hams be allowed to use CW regardless of having 
passed the morse test. Having CW only sub-bands will make it possible 
for new potential CW operators to hear what mutiple CW signals sound 
like, and to experience what only CW operators can experience. The magic 
of CW and the human minds ability to copy one signal in the midst of 
several. The sense of being part of a community of operators who can 
work together without interfering with each other. This is what I want 
to preserve for the future of amateur radio.

73 DE N6KB K